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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rash · perch · ball · mug · plane · fan · shower · stem

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. mug — a face
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. perch — the fish
  6. shower — to wash
  7. mug — a cup
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — a series
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. mug — to rob
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. ball — a dance
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ball — a great time
  22. plane — a tool
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. shower — rain

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com